Ice use linked to car crash

By
SEAN McCOMISH

A YOUNG man who racked up a long list of driving offences and flipped a car while on ice was struggling with hardships and homelessness, a court has heard.

A YOUNG man who racked up a long list of driving offences and flipped a car while on ice was struggling with hardships and homelessness, a court has heard.

Jordan Omozusi, 20, of Warrnambool, pleaded guilty in Warrnambool Magistrates Court yesterday to more than a dozen charges — many of them for driving while disqualified.

On September 2 last year, he was detected by police near Benalla driving up to 150km/h. The court heard that Omozusi was using ice when he crashed and rolled his car near Yarrawonga on September 12.

Omozusi left the scene but was later picked up by police. Over six months leading up to June this year, Omozusi racked up more than seven charges of driving unlicensed and driving an unregistered car in Sunbury, Sydenham and Gisborne.

He also faced a charge of possessing methamphetamine after a police check in Fitzroy North on February 26.

Omozusi also faced several charges of possessing a controlled weapon including a 20cm knife, wooden bat and Stanley knife after he was stopped by Sunbury police on March 18.

The court heard Omozusi had endured a hard life, marred by tragic loss.

Defence counsel Xavier Farrelly said his client had lost his father to a heart attack at the age of two and lost his mother in a car accident when he was 12. His older sister passed away when he was 13.

He described Omozusi as “a homeless man just trying to get from place to place”.

“He’s struggling to find a way out of the situation,” Mr Farrelly said.

He said Omozusi had attempted rehabilitation for his ice use in late 2013 but checked out. He said the accused had moved to Warrnambool recently to distant himself from friends using ice.

Magistrate Ron Saines told Omozusi he would not impose a prison sentence on a person who had not been before the court in the past.

“Your offending is seriously persistent,” Mr Saines said.

“I recognise the circumstances of your offending relates to drug use ... loss of family and homelessness.”

Omozusi was given a community corrections order and was banned from driving for 12 months.

Mr Saines warned Omozusi he would be back before the court if he did not comply with the order.